E.J. Turner holding a 3-4x larger leaf post TGR & fertilizer application, Fall of 2025.
The dual-system approach allowed him to move through the canopy with greater precision and control. Complicating matters further, portions of the tree occupied space within the Minimum Approach Distance of near- by high-voltage conductors. Any rig- ging operation had to control cut mate- rial without allowing excessive swing. Drawing on their line-clearance experi- ence, the Turners used a combination of natural-crotch rigging for lighter ma- terial and blocks and pulleys for larger sections. Every piece was directed to- ward a limited landing zone accessible only through the client’s backyard — a drop zone representing little more than a narrow slice of the canopy footprint. On the west side of the tree, E.J. tra- versed limbs extending beyond primary
The challenge was finding that balance.
To access the tree safely and efficiently, two methods were selected: aerial lift operations and rope access. ROPE ACCESS CONSIDERATIONS The cottonwood’s long, gangly archi- tecture made reaching branch tips particularly difficult. Yet those branch tips were precisely where many of the reduction cuts needed to occur. For improved access and work position- ing, E.J. employed an SRS system as his primary climbing system while installing an MRS system as a secondary system for one particularly challenging section of the crown. Each system was anchored independently in larger-diameter wood to provide additional security within the softwood structure.
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